Defending champs prove too much for Panthers

It was one and done for the Panthers varsity girls and boys basketball teams following first-round action from the OSAA Class 5A state tournament.

The girls were dispatched 61-51 at Springfield, while the boys never found their offensive rhythm in a 49-36 loss at Wilsonville.

Both opponents are defending state champions.

In Saturday’s girls game, 10th seed Panthers trailed 19-9 after one quarter. But battled back to lead No. 7 Springfield heading into the final frame.

“I could not be more proud of a team. They came out fighting and did not give up the whole game,” said Central coach Marc Burelson.

The girls were up 42-39 heading into the fourth quarter. The Panthers outscored the Millers by 11 points, 19 to 8, in the third.

“Although we were down by eight at the half, we showed our true colors in the third quarter, and played some of our best basketball all year. Defensively, we stepped up and put the reigning state champions on their heels,” Burelson said.

The Millers met the upstarts’ challenge, however, as they outscored Central by 13 points in the fourth.

“Springfield is a great team and has playoff experience. I believe that is what pushed them in the end. Basically, with their experience, they know what playoff basketball is like,” he said.

For the Panthers, junior Hadley Craig went double-double again, with 22 points and 12 boards. Emily Newbeck tallied 12 points and McKenzie Wells added eight rebounds.

Central finished with 33 rebounds to the home team’s 24.

For Springfield, Danaeja Romero-Ah Sam led all scorers with 27 points. Diamond Wright chipped in 12.

This was the final prep game for Central’s four seniors: Ashley Barba, Tatum Lushenko, Newbeck and Wells.

“Our seniors will be greatly missed, and we wish them all the best,” Burleson said. “But I am super excited for the future of Panthers basketball, especially knowing what to expect and the style of play we need to win at the playoff level.”

Freshman Isabella Names and Craig, a junior, are expected to form the nucleus of next year’s team. Both players received considerable playing time this year.

Panthers finished 11-7 in the Mid-Willamette Conference (MWC) play, 15-10 overall.

Burleson deemed the season a success.

“It would have been nice to win, but making it to the playoffs after a three-year absence was a great accomplishment,” he added.

All-conference honors went to Craig, first team; Barba, second team; Wells, honorable mention; and, Names, honorable mention.

In the boys game, the Wildcats’ stars rose to the occasion.

Kyle Counts scored 13 points, and Kallen Gutridge added 11 points and eight assists, to lead No. 2 seed Wilsonville on Friday.

The Panthers (11-7, 13-12 overall) were led by senior Kai Bennett and his 13 points. None of his teammates reached double figures in scoring.

The loss marks the end of Central’s season.

“I am very proud of my boys, for how hard they fought all game long in a tough environment,” coach Tyler Allen said.

Defensive pressure hindered the Panthers’ flow.

“Wilsonville has a very good defense, which gave our guards trouble all game. Scoring was hard to come by,” Allen said. “Despite the 13-point difference in the final score, we battled all game. We kept it within reach into the fourth quarter.”

The Panthers squandered their chances.

“Had we been able to capitalize on some mistakes by Wilsonville early, on offense and on defense, we could’ve had a better start, and hopefully a better finish,” Allen said. “Unfortunately, it was just one of those games where the ball couldn’t find the basket.”

The Central program now faces an almost total rebuild. There were 11 seniors on this year’s roster: Esteban Chavez, Joseph Clark, Andrew Eames, Matt Quinn, Derek Brinton, Andrew Taufa’asau, Matthew Ritchey, Carter Holt, Wyatt Hutchinson, Emilio Trevino and Bennett.

“I will miss the seniors, but look forward to continuing to build a culture here,” the first-year Panthers head coach said. “The community (has been) a huge support and made me feel at home. I look forward to continuing to grow this program for years to come.”

In related news: Chavez was named first team all-conference, Bennett was named second team all-conference, and Eames, Quinn and sophomore Jack Holestine, honorable mentions.